Car-coupling



(No Model.)

J. A. MURRAY.

GAR COUPLING. No. 339,110. Patented Mar. 30, 1886.

WITNEEEEE I N, PETERs, Fhololllhagmvher. washm xm 9.0.

NlTE TATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. MURRAY, OF SGRANTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 339,110, dated March30, 1886.

Application filed August 27, 1885. Serial No. 175,481. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that LJOHN A. 1\IURRAY,L citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Scranton, in the county of Lackawanna and State ofPennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inOar-Couplings, of which the following is a specification, referencebeing had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invent-ion pertains to improvements in cancouplings; and it has forits object, principally,to efl'ect the coupling operationauto1natically,while it enables the ready uncoupling of the cars, allwithout requiring the attendant trainnian to pass between the cars,which requirement is so frequently the cause of the loss of life or limbor limbs, and to these ends my invention consists of the detailedconstruction of the parts, substantially as hereinafter set forth,andpointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of twodraw-heads embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is atransverse section, andFig. 3 is a detached view, of one of the coupling-hooks.

In carrying out my invention I take an ordinary draw-head, A, and form aconical recess or concavity, u, in its enlarged flared end; alsoextending therefrom rearwardly a channel or passage, 1), whichterminates at its rear end into an opening or slot, 1).

B is the coupling-hook which ,with its shank or straight rod portionhaving axial movement in the passage Z), is cast in one piece, which rodportion or shank is provided with a handle, (I, keyed or otherwisesuitably connected thereto at right angles to the length of said shankor red portion. This lever or handle, which moves in and extends throughthe slot or opening I) of the draw-head A,and normally rests in anoutwardly and downwardly inclined position, serves as a weight by thegravity of which the coupling-hook is normally held at about an angle ofninety de grees to a horizontal plane in alignment with and slightlybeyond the entrance of the draw head,whereby as two draw-heads cometogether the hooks will have such relation that they will readily passand interlock with each other, and thus effect the automatic coupling ofthe cars. The lever or handle 6, with its slot,also serves to retaininposition the coupling-hook.

In order to render effective the coupling action or operation of theparts and to securely interlock thesame,thebeakofthehookisinclinedinward toward and toits free end, while at the point of or junction ofits beak with its shank or rod portion it is beveled to prevent the samefrom abruptly striking the draw-head in its recess or concavity,allowing it to readily ride thereinto. The handle d has an aperture inits outer end for the convenient attachment thereto of a cord or chain,or other suitable means for its operation from an elevated point-as, forinstance, upon the top of a house or stock car-while it is capable ofready operation without compelling going between the cars by theapplication of the hand directly to said handle. As the hooks of twodraw-heads come together it will be observed that the handles (1 will bethrown up, and as soon as the hooks interlock or couple the weight orgravity of the elevated lever or handle will of course have the effectto cause them to fall or automatically return to their former loweredposition and thus eilect the coupling operation.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a car-coupling, the combination, with the draw-head having aconical recess or concavity and an opening or slot, of the coupling-hookhaving itsbeak inclined inward and beveled at the point of junction ofthe beak and the shank or rod portion and provided with a handle,substantially as shown and described.

2. In a car-coupling, the coupling-hook having its beak inclinedinwardly and its shank or rod portion beveled, and the drawhead having aconical recess or concavity adapted to receive said coupling-hook,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signatn re in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. MURRAY.

\Vitnesses:

Janus J. LAWLER, E. J. LYNErr.

